The present invention relates to an end face polishing device polishing end face of bar member such as optical communication fiber.
In the end face polishing device of the related art, polishing is performed by pressing a polishing disc moving by a combination of rotation and revolution on an end face of a fixed bar member as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 296451/2000. A locus of polishing has a shape where plural circles moving on a circumference of radius r to a center P overlap continuously as shown by locus 1 in FIG. 1. The state of making a circuit of an external circumference 2 of the locus 1 is shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, an internal circumference 3 of the locus 1 has much overlapping of the locus, the abrasion quantity of a polishing sheet is increased, and the polishing sheet can not be used uniformly. Accordingly, efficient use of the sheet is difficult to accomplish.
It is an object of the present invention is to prevent local concentration of the locus overlapping of polishing on the polishing sheet and to improve efficiency of polishing.
In the polishing device of the related art, since a locus of the end face on the polishing sheet consists of circles moving along a circumference, it is necessary to increase the rotational speed of rotation or revolution in order to increase the polishing speed. However, an increase in the rotational speed results in scattering of abrasive liquid caused by centrifugal force, thereby making it difficult to perform the polishing operation.
In the present invention, an end face polishing device comprises a pressing unit for pressing an end face of a fixed bar member to a polishing sheet and a driving unit for driving the polishing sheet in a roulette-like movement while rotating on a circumference parallel to the end face of the bar member. Here, a roulette shape movement means a curved line where a fixed point on another curved line moves when another curved line rolls along a fixed curved line.
In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method for polishing an end face of a fixed bar member by pressing the end face of the fixed bar member against a polishing sheet, driving the polishing sheet in a roulette shape movement while rotating on a circumference parallel to the end face of the bar member.